Spotted lanternfly quarantine extended to Dauphin County

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The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture extended the quarantine zone of the spotted lanternfly to Dauphin County after learning of sightings of the invasive insect there, the agency announced in a news release Friday.

The lanternfly, which was first sighted in District Township in Berks County in 2014, is a native of Asia. Since its arrival, the pest has spread to 13 counties in Pennsylvania, three in New Jersey and northern New Castle County in Delaware and Frederick County in Virginia. The quarantine gives the Department of Agriculture the authority to regulate movement of items that might contain the lanternfly in its various life stages. In addition, the state now requires businesses to take a training course in detecting and destroying the pest in order to get a permit from the Department of Agriculture.

Secretary of Agriculture Russ Redding said the spotted lanternfly can harm businesses in the state.

“Whether you are a contractor, farmer, truck driver or business or rail owner, the spotted lanternfly can pose a risk to your business and threaten your bottom line,” Redding said in the news release. “It is incumbent on Pennsylvania's business community to obtain a permit so that we can demonstrate our due diligence to trading partners and restrict the movement of this invasive pests to other areas of the commonwealth and other states.”

Beginning in May, the department's Bureau of Plant Industry will perform inspections to make sure businesses have the required permits.